Ask AI: Discuss the monster study experiment with a specific real life example

The Monster Study was a controversial experiment conducted in 1939 by Wendell Johnson and his graduate student Mary Tudor at the University of Iowa. The study aimed to explore the power of positive and negative reinforcement to shape the language development of children. Specifically, the research attempted to determine if children’s stuttering could be caused by negative reinforcement. In the experiment, twenty-two children of ages between 6 and 16 took part in speeches, readings, and dictation tests. Half of the children were labeled “monsters” by the experimenters and were subjected to harsh criticism and negative verbal reinforcement. The other half, known as the “normal” group, were given encouragement and positive reinforcement. The results of the experiment showed that 13 children from the “monster” group had become stutterers, compared to only one from the “normal” group. An example of a real-life example of the Monster Study experiment would be the case of Josef Mengele’s twin experiments. During the Holocaust, Mengele conducted experiments on twins in order to explore the physical differences between twins. He would give one twin positive reinforcement and praise in order to encourage certain behaviors, while he would give the other twin negative reinforcement and harsh criticism in order to discourage certain behaviors. Unfortunately, these experiments had devastating effects on the twins involved, showing us a real-life example of the effects of positive and negative reinforcement in shaping behavior.